Crimson Waters
by Son of Jason
Summary: In a world where slavery, crime, and death are common; One fox will stand up to it all. Felix will endure countless tortures all in the search of vengeance for the deaths of those he loved. He will roam the seas in search of the man behind it all, a man known only as Fitzgerald. Will he succeed and gain what he has sought, or will his blood water the stones of his failure?
1. Children of the Irish

_**Crimson Waters**_

 **Chapter One: "Children of the Irish"**

 _Kinsale, Ireland - August 8th, 1773;_

Felix trotted down the path with his younger sister, Madeline, following behind him like an innocent shadow. The stones crunched beneath the feet of the two fox kits as they made the long walk home from the beach. Their family lived on a small farm, only about an acre large, in a small, two-room shack. Their father was an average potato farmer and their mother did laundry for the other anthros in the village.

As they passed through the human area of town, the humans glared at the two kits. Felix grabbed onto Madeline's paw and helped her walk a little faster. Felix was eleven and Madeline was ten, they both were in the British's age range of kids to sell into slavery. If one of the humans decided to kidnap them, there would be nothing their parents could do. Anthros were majorly mistreated by the humans to the point where they aren't even near being equals. They could be brutally murdered and nobody would care.

"Where do you think you're going, kiddies?" A man in his mid-forties stepped out of a dark alleyway. His dark hair was matted and slimy, his clothes were in tatters, and his brown eyes shown with a cold emptiness. As he talked, Felix could see the man had exactly three teeth and some sort of gum disease.

"Home." Felix growled. The man chuckled.

"I'm sure them Brits would pay quite a few pretty pennies for your hides." He snickered. Felix brought Madeline closer to him in a protective gesture and whispered into her ear.

"When I say 'go'," He told her, "do what you do best. You climb, I'll run."

"What'cha sayin' boy? I can't hear ya." The man made a grab for Felix, but the nimble crimson fox avoided the move.

"GO!" He shouted. Madeline immediately turned to the nearest building and jumped. Years of climbing trees in the forest finally came to good use as the snow-white vixen skillfully climbed her way to the rooftops.

Felix, meanwhile, took off charging towards his house. From the sound of it, the man had decided to chase him instead of Madeline. That was a huge mistake on the man's part. Felix smiled as he put on a burst of speed and heard the man panting for breath, left behind in the trail of dust.

He didn't stop running until he made it to the edge of the village. When he finally stopped to take a breather, Madeline came trotting towards him.

"Let's not tell Mum and Dad about that." She said, barely out of breath. "I don't want them to get mad at us."

"Agreed." Felix huffed out.

Once he had recovered from his long sprint, Felix once again took hold of Madeline's paw and they continued towards their home.

* * *

"You're late." Frank Fox scolded his children as they approached the garden.

"Sorry Daddy, we lost track of time." Madeline told him. Frank sighed.

"Just don't let it happen again." He always had a soft spot for Madeline. She could get him to do pretty much anything. "Go head on inside, supper's almost ready." The kits nodded before running into the shack. Frank scratched at his scarlet fur and sighed.

This season wasn't turning out good for his crops. If the weather didn't change soon... He sighed again before making his way into the shack as well.

* * *

Francine Fox was just putting the final touches on the lamb stew she was making when the door creaked open. Inside walked her two children.

"Where have you been?" She asked. "Do you realize what time it is?"

"Sorry Mum, we got sidetracked." Francine rolled her eyes.

"Madeline, how many times have I told you that your sweet talk doesn't work on me?"

"About a million times." Felix answered. Madeline shot him a dark look.

"Go get your father and tell him that supper's done." At that moment, Frank walks into the room.

"Don't worry, I'm already done tending for today." Frank turns to his children. "Sit down." He orders. They sit down.

As Francine passes out the bowls of soup to her family, she catches Felix trying to take a spoon out of his stew already.

"Felix, we don't eat until after we pray." The kit growls and places the spoon down. The family hold their paws together and hold them up to their heads. Frank begins the prayer.

"O' Lord, blessed are we who-" A loud, sharp knock on the door stops the fox from continuing. Frank gets up and heads to the window to see who's at the door. When he opens the curtains, his face pales. "Kids," He said, "get in one of the cabinets."  
Francine stands up and grabs the kits by the scruffs of their necks. She opens a cabinet door and ushers them inside before closing it and standing by the sink. Frank opens the door...

* * *

"Mr. Fox, I believe you have two children living in this residence, correct?" A British voice is heard by the trembling fox kits through the cabinet door.

"No, just me and my wife." They hear their father reply.

"If this is true, would you care to explain to me why there are four bowls on your table?" Silence lasts for about a minute before Frank replies.

"Get out." He said. "This is my property and you have no business here. Leave now."

"Is that so?" The British man didn't sound the least bit intimidated. "Very well then. Mr. Fitzgerald, could you kindly get this thing out of my way?" Seconds later, a bang is heard and then a thud.

"FRANK!" The kits hear their mother cry. Felix tightens his hold on Madeline as they hear the sickening sound of metal scraping against flesh and then two more thuds.

"Fitzgerald, Hillock, check the house. Check every nook and cranny. Find those children." Rummaging is heard as the men ransack the house. It takes them two minutes to reach the cabinet the kits are in. With a creak, the cabinet doors swing open and the kits are now face-to-face with Jeremy Fitzgerald, a blonde man with brilliant cerulean eyes. His red outfit didn't look quite right with the rest of his appearance.

"Found them!" He yelled as he plunges his hand in to grab the kits. In a fit of panic, Madeline bites Fitzgerald's hand, making him recoil slightly before he recovers and slaps the girl, hard. Felix starts to charge at the man, only to be knocked out cold with a single punch to the eye.

Madeline whimpers as she is pulled from the cabinet and placed in chains. The three British men chain Felix up the same way, and drag the kits outside. Along the way, the poor children are dragged past the corpse of their father, shot in the heart. Blood poured out of his every orifice. Madeline forces herself to look away. She was glad Felix wasn't awake to see this.

Once the kits were thrown outside, the British captain that had lead the others stood in thought. "I think we should send them a message, don't you Mr. Fitzgerald?" Jeremy nods.

Jeremy rushes inside the house. A crack is heard and the man returns with a leg from one of the chairs and a roundish object Madeline couldn't identify. Jeremy plants the leg into the ground and smushes the object onto the top of it.

As the kits are being dragged away, Madeline gathers up the courage to look back towards her home. When she does, she chokes back a sob. The last image of home she sees is her mother's head on a spike, her usually white fur stained blood-red...


	2. Child of the Siksika

**Chapter Two: "Child of the Siksika"**

 _Siksika Territory, Montana – August 8th, 1773;_

Natayo steadied his aim. He couldn't afford to miss this shot. If he missed, the herd of iinii would scatter, leaving him with no spoils. The large animals sat and grazed without a care in the world, unaware of the hunter stalking them.

Natayo let his arrow fly. Time seemed to slow down for the worried hunter. He watched as the arrow sank its shaft into the leg of the closest iinii, bringing it to the ground. He quickly drew another arrow as the other iinii scattered. This time, the arrow stuck itself inside the ground with a dissatisfying thud. The prey had all escaped, except for one...

He stood over the animal, his bow now sheathed and his dagger out. The iinii begged at him with its large, sad brown eyes, but Natayo didn't have any other choice. The iinii was already wounded. To let it live would be cruel. He brought his dagger up to its neck and slit the beast's throat. Its head lolled as the blood poured from the wound. In mere seconds, the iinii lay dead.

Natayo closed his eyes. The way the beast had looked at him... It seemed so afraid. He couldn't really blame it. Being a human and anthro hybrid didn't exactly make you look pretty. He took one long, shaky breath before closing the beast's eyes out of respect. Very few animals had evolved into what are now called anthros. The ones that didn't evolve were treated exactly as they were before, even though anthros weren't exactly seen as equals to humans.

The lion hybrid hauled the beast back to his travois. He'd probably be able to get a good deal for the iinii, the aapi ninaa usually paid him well. They claimed they were from a land called France and they were extremely interested in furs gathered by Natayo's tribesmen. Over the years, the Siksika and aapi ninaa grew a close bond from their fur trading. This bond grew so great that about just over a decade ago, the tribesmen sided with the aapi ninaa against the men with the red coats. The enemy won, but the bond still held between the two peoples.

Natayo was sweating buckets by the time he made it to the travois. In years past, he would've had helpers with this task. Unfortunately, his father, Imitaa, had recently fallen ill and the other tribesmen were scared of him because of his ghastly appearance. Thus, the hunting of the iinii was his chore alone.

Natayo made his way down the forest path. The aapi ninaa had a small encampment not too far from where he was. He would try to trade the iinii in for a stack of blankets and cooking supplies for the herbs and berries his sister, Aohkii, was gathering. If he was lucky, the aapi ninaa might even give him new tools for hunting more iinii.

Suddenly, Natayo heard a ruffling off to his right. He quickly unsheathed his dagger and hid behind his travois. Out of the woods approached another anthro. This one looked to be a male omahkapi'si and he was carrying a mountain of supplies on his back. The omahkapi'si looked warily at Natayo's travois and started to make his way towards the iinii's corpse.

Natayo leaped out from behind the travois and brandished his dagger at the anthro. The anthro held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry!" He yelped. "Didn't know this sled had an owner!" Natayo frowned. The anthro was using English. He didn't know very much English, but he knew enough to communicate with some of the traders in the aapi ninaa's camp.

"Step away. The iinii is mine." He growled. The anthro took a few steps back. While still keeping an eye on the anthro, Natayo started to drag the travois further along the path, but it was evident that he was struggling.

"Do you need help?" The anthro asked. Natayo growled.

"I'm fine." Nevertheless, the anthro grabbed hold of the travois and helped him pull it along.

"I'm Andrew." He said. "What's your name?"

"Natayo." Andrew frowned.

"I'm just gonna call you Nat." He decided. They were traveling much faster now because of Andrew's strength. "I'm sorry about earlier, I've never seen whatever we're carrying before."

"The iinii?" Nat asked. He wasn't really surprised, the aapi ninaa told him that the iinii weren't located anywhere near France or the eastern part of this land.

"Yeah." A few moments pass in silence. "So, where are we going?"

"I'm going to the camp of the aapi ninaa." Andrew frowned.

"Who?" He asked.

"The French." Nat corrected himself, remembering that Andrew didn't know his native language. Andrew looked away and would not meet Nat's eyes.

"Maybe we should make a camp." He said. "It's getting pretty dark..." In fact, the sun was starting to set. The last thing Nat wanted to do was camp with a complete stranger, but there was no way he could cart the iinii to the other camp alone.

"I'll start the fire..."

* * *

The sky was now completely dark. The stars shone through the canopy of leaves above them. They sat by the fire, enjoying some of the rations Andrew had kindly shared. While they ate, Andrew told stories he'd heard about the stars from when he was a kit. Mainly, he talked about the Zodiac constellations.

"When were you born?" He asked.

"Today marks my eighteenth summer." Nat answered.

"Then you're a Leo." He decided. "The story of the savage lion begins in the city-state of Nemea. There was a lion that lived in a cave that ate anyone it came across. The locals said its hide couldn't be pierced by any mortal metal. The hero Heracles defeated the lion by choking it to death. Upon its death, the lion was able to be skinned and Heracles wore the hide in many battles."

Nat laid down on his back. "Leo..." He murmured. It had a nice ring to it. "So, what's an omahkapi'si doing here?"

"First of all, I don't know what that word means. Secondly, I'm trying to get away from the trouble in the east." He said. "The British are taxing the colonies sky high. Lot of folks are calling for war." Andrew shrugged. "I just don't want any part of it."

Nat sat up and looked at the constellation that Andrew had called Leo. He'd seen the stars multiple times, but he'd never put them together to form a picture before. Now, he could see the lion clearly.

"By the way," Andre said, "what did you call me?"

"I called you a coyote."

"Well excuse you, I'm a hyena." Nat frowned.

"A what?" Andrew sighed.

"Never mind, let's just hit the hay." He said, laying down to rest. Nat followed his example and closed his eyes to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The camp was close. They could hear its inhabitants talking to each other. Soon, the journey would be over and Nat could return home.

"I have to go." Andrew said suddenly, letting go of the travois.

"Why?" Nat asked.

"There might still be some bad blood between us. The war wasn't that long ago..." True, Nat had been only a kit when the war started, but he remembered it perfectly. His mother had been killed during a battle with an enemy tribe that sided with Britain and its colonies. It had taken its toll on Nat and Aohkii, but her death affected Imitaa the most. He'd been put on the edge of insanity and for a while, his children were scared he might fall over the edge. It had taken him several months to recover from her loss.

"I'll be fine from here." Nat said, picking up the part of the travois Andrew had dropped.

"I think I'm gonna head back east. This place is marvelous, but it's just too... Extreme for me..." He said. "If you want to come with me, I could always use a traveling companion." Nat shook his head.

"My family needs me." Andrew nodded in understanding before running off into the woods.

Nat made his way towards the camp. Soon, the tents and extinguished bonfires came into view. He started to enter the camp when a voice rang out to his left.

"You looking to sell that, kid?" It asked. Out of the shadows stepped a man in middle-class clothing. He didn't look like he had much, but if he was asking for a deal...

"Maybe I am." Nat replied. "What are you offering?"

"What are you looking for?" The man asked.

"Blankets and cookware." Nat replied. "Maybe some fresh meat if you have some."

"Hold on a second." He said, heading back into the shadows. Moments later, he came out carrying a stack of blankets. "This is what I'll give you." Nat's nose wrinkled in distaste. The rags smelled awful!

"No deal." He said, already heading deeper into the camp.

"They won't give you a better deal. They only want money, not animals. They're in too much debt to give away such important supplies." The man said. "If you want, I'll give you a special knife I have!" Nat stopped in his tracks. His own knife was worn and probable to break soon.

"Go on..." He said.

"This beauty was made by the best smith in England." He said, producing a steel blade with a gold and oak handle. "This is Damascus steel, crafted by the famous Fritz Smith!"

Nat took the dagger in his clawed hand. The craftsmanship was excellent, and the handle was absolutely stunning. The way it fit in his hand made it seem like it was made for him. As a test, he threw the knife in the air, which the trader didn't seem too thrilled about. It spun a few times before landing perfectly back into Nat's outstretched hand. The balance was perfect...

"I'll take that offer if I can keep some of the meat." He said, handing it back to the trader.

"How much meat are we talking about?" The trader asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I think a leg will do." The trader thought for a moment before stretching out his hand. They shook on it and the deal was struck.

* * *

Nat began the journey home with a new dagger, a stack of blankets, and the leg of the iinii. He smiled down at his new tool, proud to be its owner. And completely unaware of the mistake he just made...


	3. Halted Passage

**Chapter Three: "Halted Passage"**

 _Slave Ship – August 20th, 1773;_

Twelve days. That's how long Felix had been trapped in this nightmare.

The room was filled almost to the brink with slaves gathered from Kinsale. Not only were there anthros, but humans were present as well. Rumor was that the ship was to be filled with more slaves once they reached Africa. Every single man, woman, and child in the cramped space was chained together. Felix himself was chained between the man that had chased him in Kinsale and Madeline, who was currently receiving punishment for disobeying an order. Felix shuddered at the thought of what was happening to her. He wanted to be there for her, but he couldn't escape the shackles.

Sanitation was impossible to keep on the ship. The British didn't believe in letting them out to go to the restroom. Also, if someone died, the body wouldn't be removed for a couple of days. The man that had chased him had died a few hours ago from starvation. It wouldn't be too long before he started to smell...

Felix had seen many things aboard this ship. He'd seen death, suffering, and violence beyond what anyone should see at his age. And the things the soldiers did to the women... That was better left unsaid.

To the British, they were just cattle. They'd even branded Felix! He was just a good to trade. He had only one person to blame for it all... Fitzgerald. According to Madeline, he'd killed their parents. She hadn't exactly said that, but her refusal to talk about what happened while he was out cold told him everything. He didn't know if Fitzgerald was making this trip with them in one of the comfortable cabins above, but Felix made a promise to himself in the cargo hold. No matter what, he would find Fitzgerald, and he would make him pay...

Suddenly, the sound of the hold door opening is accompanied by the turning of every head within. Madeline is dragged in by a British soldier and placed back in the chains. When the soldier is gone, Felix turns to her. Her eyes are closed and she is crying silent tears. Felix tries to bring her into a reassuring hug, but she weakly pushes him away. One thing he does notice is that the arm he wrapped around her back now felt sticky. He looked down at his paw and saw blood.

He tried to turn Madeline over. This time, she didn't resist. Her back was completely shredded. Flesh hung loose and blood trickled like a crimson river. These are the kinds of wounds that would never fully heal. And in their current living conditions...

"How many times?" Felix asked.

"Twenty..." She answered.

Twenty lashes. Probably with a cat o' nine tails. If Felix didn't get Madeline to a doctor soon... No, it wouldn't come to that. It couldn't come to that...

"I'll get you out of this..." Felix promised, tears flowing freely from his eyes. "I promise..."

Just then, screams filled the small enclosure as the ship shook violently. Sounds similar to that of cannon fire could be heard. Felix held on to Madeline as the ship continued to shake. He tried to keep her from lying down on the jagged floor, her back was already mangled enough...

The sound of splintering wood was met with the dying screams of some of the slaves in the enclosure. A cannonball had just ruptured through the ship and had taken many lives with it. From above, through the screams of fear and anguish, Felix could hear swords clashing. The ship was being invaded.

This may be just what he's been waiting for.

As the screams died down, Felix noticed something. It was quiet. Too quiet... There was no fighting upstairs. Just as he thought this, the door to the enclosure opened. In walked a man with a face so scarred, it was a wonder he could still see through his eyes. He wore an outfit that clearly told everyone what he was: A pirate.

"Load them on th' ship." He said to someone behind him. In walked a few more pirates, clearly of a lower rank than the first one.

That's when it hit him. They weren't going to save them. They were going to sell them, just like the British.

"Wait!" He yelled, standing up to get the pirate's attention. "Let me join your crew!" At this, the pirate turned around, took one look at Felix, and laughed.

"Felix!" Madeline said. He gave her a reassuring glance before staring back at the pirate.

"Why would I be needin' a wee rascal like ye in me crew?" He asked, still chuckling like this was all a game.

"I'm fast." Felix said. "I can get in and out of places faster than any of you could even expect."

"Be tellin' ye what," He said, "if ye can touch th' main mast before any 'o me crew can catch ye, ye can join." He then drew his sword and used it to break the chains on Felix.

He took that as his chance to run.

When he came to the first crew members, they didn't even look interested in catching him, as if he would accidentally run into one of them and be put back in chains. He ran past them and reached his first real obstacle. This pirate was waiting for him with outstretched arms, ready to catch the kit. Felix hit the floor and slid between his legs. Before the pirate could even turn around, Felix was already up the stairs.

He became slightly disorientated when he saw the sun. It had been so long since he'd been outside. But he couldn't slow down. He ran towards the mast and reached out a paw to grab it. As he touched the mast, he felt a firm grip on his tail.

"Battle over." A gruff voice whispered in his ears. The pirate tried to pull him off the mast, but Felix held on tight.

"He did it..." The voice of the first pirate said in disbelief.

"No cap'n, I caught him." The gruff voice said.

"Be off 'o him, Schmidt." The captain said.

Reluctantly, the man let go of him. Felix turned to the captain, who still looked surprised by the kit's agility.

"I need you to do one thing before I join." He said. "Let my sister join too, she's excellent at climbing but she was injured during the trip. Tend to her wounds and we have a deal."

"'N if ye don't live up to ye end 'o the' bargain?" The captain asked.

"I die." Felix said. The captain smiled.

"What's ye moniker?"

"Felix."

"Welcome to th' _Vulpine_ , Felix." The captain said. "I be Cap'n Seward."

* * *

 _Andrew's Camp;_

Andrew had all but forgotten about Nat. He'd enjoyed camping with the lion. There was just something about him that seemed... Different. Something about him just made Andrew feel that he wasn't really alone in this world...

Off to his right, Andrew heard something coming through the woods. He watched on in horror as a figure formed in the treeline. It kept getting closer and closer. Andrew started to take a few steps back.

Then, the figure stumbled and fell into Andrew's line of sight. The light of the campfire illuminated the face of the figure. Andrew couldn't believe his eyes.

"Nat?!" The lion looked at him with sick, pleading eyes.

"Help me..." Nat began to cough violently and then he stopped moving. Andrew knelt next to his friend and checked his breathing. It was slowing down...

"HELP!" Andrew screamed out into the woods. "HELP!" There was no response.

Andrew checked Nat's breathing again, it was still slowing... Andrew stood up and hauled Nat onto his back. He would NOT let his friend die! As he ran off into the woods, there was one question that stood out more than any other in his mind.

"What happened to you?"


	4. Noel

**Chapter Four: "Noel"**

 _Boston, Massachusetts – December 23rd, 1773;_

"Are you sure they'll want to help us?" Nat asked his companion.

"I know Mom will... But Dad can be a little..." Andrew tried to form the word.

"Unreasonable?" Nat suggested.

"Yeah."

The two continued to walk the snowy streets of Boston. They had traveled across the land, looking for shelter for the upcoming winter. So far, everyone had refused to shelter them. Andrew hoped that his parents would be different.

Andrew's mother, Michelle, practiced medicines and was akin to a local healer in this city. She might be able to tolerate Nat's presence if he were to teach her about some of the natural herbs in the area. Andrew's father, Bruce, was quite the opposite of his wife. He liked to pick fights with people and get drunk. It was amazing the two had ever even married.

Andrew claimed that Bruce considered himself divorced with Michelle, even though the papers were never sent. He also claimed that Bruce disowned him at least five times, but Andrew would always find a way to make him change his mind.

"Andrew, I just want to say thank you for letting me go with you." Nat said.

"Do you think you'll ever go back to find him?" Andrew asked.

"No." He said. "And even if I did go back, we went to the camp. That traitor is long gone." Andrew smiled at how easy it was for Nat to pronounce English words. He'd been teaching the lion a bit on their journey, but they still had a long way to go.

"The house isn't too far away now." Andrew said, but Nat stopped.

"Did you hear that?" He asked.

Andrew turned his ears to try to locate any noise. Now that Nat mentioned it, he thought he could hear someone running. Suddenly, Nat grunted behind him as someone came out of a side alley and plowed straight into him.

"Nat!" Andrew pulled the person off of Nat and growled at them.

The person appeared to be a lioness. She held a bundle of blankets in her arms and seemed to be generally frightened and out of breath... As if she were running from something...

"Who are you?" Nat asked gently, which surprised Andrew. She just pushed him to the ground! She looked at him frantically before shoving the bundle into his arms.

"Keep her safe! I can't stay here!" She tried to get up and run, but Nat grabbed her arm.

"What's her name?" He asked. "And what's your name?"

"She's Noel, I'm Amanda." Amanda then shook her arm free from Nat's grip and ran.

Nat looked at Andrew grimly and pulled him into a back alley. The two watched as British soldiers emerged from the alley Amanda came from and followed her tracks towards the edge of town.

"What was that?" Andrew asked.

"A mother's desperate attempt to save her child..." Nat said. Andrew's eyes widened when the bundle of blankets began to move and cry. Nat peeled back the blankets to reveal a beautiful baby cat. A Scottish Fold by the looks of it.

"What are we going to do about her?" Andrew asked.

"Amanda trusted us enough to give us her child," Nat said, "we need to care for her." He looked back onto the main road, watching for any sign of the soldiers.

"Let's go." Andrew said. He lead Nat deeper into town, towards his childhood home. When they finally arrived, he noted that it looked the same as when he left. Yellow walls, green roof, two floors. It was a cozy place, if needed they could even stay longer than just winter. That is if Bruce wasn't too angry...

Andrew knocked on the door and waited. Moments later, Michelle Dugic answered the door.

"Mom," He said, "I'm home..."

* * *

 _May 7th, 1780;_

"Daddy, can you tell me the story about Mom again?" Nat smiled down at his adopted daughter.

"Of course, Noel." He said. She sat down next to him and made herself comfortable. When she was finished squirming, he began the tale.

"About seven years ago, Andrew and I were on our way home when we came across a young woman. She appeared out of the snow like an angel, and she gave you to me." He scratched her head before continuing. "She told me to look after you, and just like that, she was gone."

"Do you think I'll be able to meet her someday?" She asked.

"Maybe." Nat said, bopping her on the nose. She giggled and snuggled up against her father. The two heard someone clear their throat behind them. They turned to see Andrew standing in the doorway.

"Uncle Andy!" Noel said, getting up and hugging her uncle.

"Hey there, kiddo." He said. "Nat, we need to talk. Now." Nat nodded and turned to his daughter.

"Noel, go see if Michelle needs help in the garden." Noel nodded and gave her father a quick hug before running outside. "What's happening?"

"We need to find work, Nat." Andrew said. "Mom's business isn't doing so well, and you know how Dad is." Nat nodded.

"Did you find something?" He asked.

"Yeah. It'll make us rich. But..." He sighed. "I don't think you'll like it." Nat raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"Piracy."

"Absolutely not."

"Nat, we don't have much choice." He argued. "With the war going on, there's hardly anyone who even looks at Mom's shop!"

"We don't have to stoop that low." Nat countered. "We can find something in town that's actually legal."

"No, we can't." Andrew said. "The war has taken care of that option for us."  
"Then I'll go back to hunting." Nat said.

"That's not going to keep the tax collectors at bay."  
"Andrew, it's almost guaranteed that we'd die on a job like that." Nat pulled at his mane in frustration.

"And who's to say a bear won't kill you while you're out hunting?"

Nat sat down on the couch with his head in his hands. He sat there and thought while Andrew continued.

"Every time we come across a treasure, we'll have our share sent home. It will ensure that Mom, Dad, and Noel are safe while we're gone." He said.

"We may never see them again." Nat said.

"We won't be gone that long." Andrew said. "Maybe a year at the most."

"Do you have a ship?" Andrew nodded.

"I made a deal with these people down at the docks." He said. "They own a ship called the _Nemea_ and were looking for a crew, so I signed us up."

"I'll get packed..." Nat said.

He got up from the couch and made his way towards the garden. There was no telling how Noel would be able to handle the news...

* * *

 _The Vulpine;_

Captain Seward paced the deck of the _Vulpine_ , making eye contact with each and every single crew member on the ship. Today was his retiring day, and it was time for him to choose his successor. He stopped at the mast and turned towards his crew.

"Bin gathered ye this day to choose who gunna lead ye in me stead." The crew stood at attention, soaking in every word. "Ye are like me brothers 'n sisters, but now I must seek some peace 'n quiet."

He took one last walk down the ship before speaking again.

"Many 'o ye deserve 'tis honor, but only one can hold th' title." Felix saw Mike stand a little bit straighter, as if the captain was addressing him. "It be wit' great pride that I bestow me rank to Felix Fox."

Many gasped and turned their heads towards Felix. Mike slouched down, a look of absolute confusion spread across his face.

"Come here, me jim laddie." Seward said. Felix slowly approached the former captain.

"Cap'n, wit' all due respect," Mike said, "don't ye think ye pass 'tis below to someone wit' more experience?"

"Do I be needin' to remind ye whose choice it be, Schmidt?" Seward growled. Mike shut up, but he didn't look happy about it.

"Thank ye, cap'n." Felix said. Seward smiled down at him.

"Ye're welcome, cap'n."

With that, Seward made his way towards the gangplank and made his way off of the ship, into the lively city of Savannah.

"Get back to ye stations!" Felix commanded. "Hoist th' gangplank!"

Felix felt a paw on his shoulder and turned to see Madeline.

"I'm proud of you, brother." It was a wonder the accent hadn't stuck to her after hearing it for so long. Felix nodded. "I've been thinking, maybe we should split up."

"What?" Felix's eyes widened.

"I've been stuck on this ship for the last seven years." She said. "I need to go somewhere new."

"I be not so sure, Madeline."

"It doesn't mean I'll leave the business." She said. "I just need to be around something... New."

"Fine." He gave in. "Next the hour we dock, I'll find ye a new ship."

"Thank you." She said, heading back towards her position at the crow's nest. Felix sighed, wondering if he made the right decision.


	5. Mangled

**Chapter Five: "Mangled"**

 _Boston Port – May 8th, 1780;_

"So this is it?" Nat asks his partner. Andrew nods.

"They'll show us what we're supposed to do." He says. "Let's go."

Nat looks at the ship that would be his home for the foreseeable future. It was a standard British brig, the kind that Andrew would call ordinary. But to Nat, it was incredible. It was much larger than any ship he'd ever seen in his life. He rarely made his way to the harbor during his stay in Boston, but when he did he never saw anything larger than a schooner. This ship was on a whole new level...

"Ah! Hypes!" A slightly overweight, middle aged-looking man walks up to the two. Nat looks at him quizzically. He didn't know anyone named Hypes. The man shook Andrew's hand. "Is this the guy you were talking about?"

"Yeah, this is him." Andrew said. "Nat, meet John. John, this is Nat." They shook hands, examining each other. "John's the one who's letting us stay here."

"Who's Hypes?" Nat asks.

"That's my nickname for Andrew." John said, chuckling to himself. "Boy can't stay still to save his life."

"Yeah." Hypes said, scratching the back of his head. "Listen, you'll need to show Nat the ropes."

"I will." John promised. "But first, this will be a new life for you, boy. You'll need a new name to go along with it. Do you have any suggestions?" Nat thought for a minute.

"Leo." he said, remembering the night he camped with Hypes all those years ago. "You can call me Leo."

"Well then Leo, you know how to fight?" John asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I've taught myself a few tricks." Leo said.

"Show me what you can do." John said, drawing a cutlass. "Don't worry, I can handle whatever you throw at me." Leo looks over at Hypes, who nods.

"If you say so..." Leo says, drawing his dagger. He charges at John, who charges as well. John swings, but Leo catches the blade with his own. The lion hybrid grabs onto John's hand and twists, forcing him to drop the sword. Then, he elbows the captain in the face, bringing him to the ground. Suddenly, Leo is on top of John with his dagger on the man's throat.

"Impressive." John says, staring at the dagger. "That must be quite a blade to deflect my strike..." Leo got up and helped the captain up.

"It was made by Fritz Smith." Leo said, growling slightly.

"I could tell." John said. "It definitely looks like his craftsmanship." Leo looked around for a second and saw a human staring at them. His face was chalk white, and he looked like he lost twenty pounds he couldn't afford to lose.

"Who's that?" Leo asked. John turned to look at who Leo was looking at.

"Him?" John asked. "That's Pierre. He's here to boost the morale. He's a fairly good singer." Leo nodded, looking away from the strange looking man.

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Leo asked. John scratched his chin in thought.

"Well I know that Hypes is going to be a mate." John said. "He'll be my apprentice and he'll do things like raising the anchor and checking to make sure nothing goes on without my permission." Hypes nodded.

"What about me?" Leo asked. John smiled.

"I like you. I've never met anybody that could disarm me so easily. For that, I'll give you the job of quartermaster." John pats Leo on the back. "Get ready to sail." He walked off without another word.

"What did he mean?" Leo asked Hypes, who seemed genuinely shocked. "What does a quartermaster do?" Hypes stared at him in disbelief.

"Quartermaster is the highest rank you could get." Hypes said. "The captain just marked you as his equal..."

* * *

 _The Vulpine – May 12th, 1780;_

It had been five days since Felix had promised Madeline that he'd find her a new ship. Since then, he'd taken on the name Captain Foxy, and he was getting hammered from the amount of complaints in the crew. Many thought that he was undeserving of the post, that he'd lead them to ruin. Mike in particular thought that he could do a better job. He even called to have a vote for reelection. But it didn't work that way on the _Vulpine_. You either did what the captain said, or you were kicked out.

However, most ships did work as a democracy. The captain would hold little to no power if the crew didn't like him. However, it was made clear that this was not the case on his ship. It stated clearly in the code that the captain's word was final. However, Schmidt still persisted in trying to question his power.

Foxy jumped a little bit when Madeline barged into his cabin. She ran towards him, as if she had urgent news.

"I spotted another brig, Felix." She said, catching her breath.

"Be it another scurvy pirate?" Foxy asked, slightly worried. Madeline nodded.

"They aren't making any threatening moves, but the jolly roger flies high from their mast." She started to smile. "I think we can take them. This may be just what I've been waiting for."

"Ye want to take control 'o the' brig?" Foxy asked. "Do ye even be knowin' th' moniker 'o it?"

"I'm pretty sure it's called the _Phoenix_." She said. "If you can get me on it, I can challenge the captain for his place."

"I haven't seen ye sword fight before, be ye sure ye can do it?" Madeline laughed.

"You underestimate me, brother." She said with a purr. "Get me on that ship, and I'll do the rest." Foxy thought for a minute, thinking of a way to convince her not to do this. But he had promised to get her a new ship, and this was one way to do it without losing a single coin.

"Be tellin' Schmidt to hoist th' communication flag." He decided. "We'll have a nice chat before the bloodbath..."

* * *

The crew aboard the _Phoenix_ easily saw the flag. It was green, with the portrait of a man holding a trumpet. It was an invitation for the two crews to converse. Captain Scott stared warily at the ship. It could be a trap. Many others would use it as an excuse for a surprise attack. If it were up to him, he would've left the ship be. But the crew probably had a different idea.

"What do you think?" He asked them. "Should we accept?"

"It could be a trap." Todd remarked. "I've been itching for a good fight all day..." Todd was a young bear with light-colored fur. He had brilliant blue eyes and wore a semi-formal attire. A toothpick rested in his maw

"Or," Tony said, "they could need help. What do you think, Tracy?" Tracy nodded. Tony was a rabbit who wore a sailor's outfit. His emerald green eyes went perfectly with his sky blue fur. Tracy was a chicken who had been born into slavery. Her owners cut off her tongue because they didn't like how she had a witty remark for everything. She wore rags, and refused to wear anything else because of her past of working in the fields. Her blue eyes sparkled extremely similar to Todd's, but you could find much more kindness inside them than in the bear's. The other members of the crew mumbled among themselves.

"All in favor of boarding the ship under peace," Scott said, "raise your hand, wing, or paw." Tony raised his paw, Tracy raised her wing, and most of the crew raised their collective hands. "So be it..." Scott mumbled.

* * *

"They're approaching, captain." Madeline told Foxy once he reached the deck. She was crawling down from the crow's nest, and looked awfully anxious.

"Did they raise th' flag?" He asked. She nodded.

"You do the introductions, then I'll make my move on the captain." Foxy nodded. They waited for the _Phoenix_ to get closer before calling out to them.

"Ahoy! I be Cap'n Foxy!" The fox yelled. "Who be ye cap'n?"

"That would be me." Scott yelled back. "Captain Scott, at your service. Now can you tell me why you wanted to speak?"

"I have a wee proposition fer ye." Scott furrowed his eyebrows.

"What is it?" He asked.

"A duel." Madeline made herself known. "One on one. Me against you." At that, some of Scott's crew began to laugh, including Todd.

"Be ye kookoo bananas, Felix?!" Mike said. Foxy growled.

"Watch ye tongue, Schmidt." He whispered. "Before ye lose it."

"What are the terms, Miss?" Scott looked at her quizzically.

"Madeline." She said. "If I win, I get your ship. If you win, you get me." Foxy raised an eyebrow.

"What do ye mean, Madeline?" He asked. She only shushed him.

"I'll be yours for whatever reason you desire." Madeline said, adding a seductive tone to her voice. "I'll be yours, and yours only."

"What do you think?" Scott asked his crew.

"I think this will be fun to watch." Todd smirked. "Do it."

"Something isn't sitting right with me..." Tony said, tapping two of his blue fingers together. "This may be a trap..."

"You think everything's a trap." The bear scoffed. This irritated the bunny.

"It's better to be cautious than to charge straight in with no idea of what you're up against." He spat.

"I think Scott can take her." Todd said. "Plus, the other one is acting all nervous. That means she probably doesn't stand a chance." The rabbit went silent and the bear smirked.

"Do it." Tony finally said. Scott looked at Tracy, who gave him a nod.

"Fine." He said. "I agree to your terms. No outside interference, just me and you." Madeline smirked.

"Thank you for the ship, captain." She said.

"What weapon will you use?" Scott asked. "I'll be using my sword."

"Honey, I don't need a weapon." She cracked her knuckles and leaped onto the _Phoenix_ , startling crew members from both sides.

"Let's get started then." Scott smirked, thinking this was going to be an easy victory.

"Yes, let's." The vixen snickered.

Madeline waited while Scott charged at her. He swung at her, but she bent backwards and avoided the strike. Many of the crew members were surprised by her flexibility. Before Scott could recover, she lunged and grabbed the sword while applying force to his elbow, making it bend in the wrong direction. Scott struggled to keep a hold on his sword while trying to keep his arm from breaking. Finally, Madeline wrested the sword from Scott's grip and used it to sever his arm at the shoulder. The entire crew gasped as their captain fell to the ground, screaming in sheer agony. The vixen put the sword down and straddled the captain.

"Like I said," She purred, "thanks for the ship." She harshly raked her claws down his chest, causing his blood to splatter all over her.

"Please... Stop." He begged. Todd couldn't stand to see his captain in such a state. He gave his toothpick to Tony and went to go help the captain.

Madeline heard him approaching. She quickly did a flip off of Scott and landed next to the abandoned sword. She picked it up and had it at Todd's throat in mere moments, stunning the bear.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She said, moving towards the light-colored bear.

"Sorry madame..." He said, holding up his paws. His eyes were trained on the sword, so he didn't notice when Madeline raised her fist and punched him straight in the face. Tony rushed forward and caught Todd. The blue bunny dragged the stunned bear back towards Tracy, who was staring with wide eyes.

"Now where were we?" Madeline asked, once again straddling Scott. The poor captain was coughing up blood onto Madeline, but she said nothing about it. She leaned in and forcefully nibbled on his ear. He whimpered as she scratched him with her claws all over his body. Then, she pulled back with his ear in her maw, ripping it off. He screamed as loud as he could, making many of his loyal crew members look away.

"Stop toyin' wit' him, Madeline." Foxy shouted from the _Vulpine_ , disgusted at what he saw. "Just finish him." Madeline smirked.

"Whatever you say, brother." She raised Scott's sword and plunged it into the captain's skull, cleaving his head in two. She pulled the sword out and repeatedly bashed his corpse with strikes, splattering blood everywhere. All the while, she smiled wickedly as if this was some sort of game.

"Madeline!" Foxy shouted. "Stop!" The vixen took the sword in both of her paws and shoved it straight into the corpse's chest, straight through the heart. She stood back and admired her work, licking her claws clean of the blood.

"You don't always have to spoil the fun, Felix." She said. Her eyes were glazed over, and she continued to smile. "I guess this is goodbye. I'll see you around, brother."

"Set sail..." Foxy growled.

"Whar, cap'n?" Mike asked.

"Anywhere but here..." Foxy spat before returning to his quarters.

* * *

Everyone watched as she walked over to Todd, Tony, and Tracy.

"Please, I'm sorry for interfering." Todd said, his eyes widening. "I promise that I'll behave." Madeline chuckled, and pulled the bear's toothpick out of his mouth. She examined the toothpick for a minute, and then snapped it in half with two of her fingers.

"For your sake, you better." She said, presenting him with the shards of wood. "Is there some kind of ritual, or can we just get this change of leadership underway?"

"There will be a vote." He answered. "We decide if we keep you or not." He glanced nervously at Scott's corpse.

"Well then," She pulled Todd in close, " **vote**." She pushed the bear away. Todd gulped nervously.

"All in favor of having Madeline..." He gulped. " _Mangle_ as our captain... Raise your hand, wing, or paw." Madeline smirked at the new nickname she'd been given. She smiled even wider when everybody on the ship raised a hand.

"So, where were you heading before that little power struggle?" Mangle asked, putting a paw on the wheel.

"Nassau..." Tony answered, taking the attention off of Todd. "We were going to dock in Nassau..." Mangle's smirk only grew.

"Perfect..."


	6. Battle for the Nemea

**Chapter Six: "Battle for the _Nemea_ "**

 _The Nemea – June 20th, 1780;_

Leo stared at the letter in his clawed hands, reading it again for what seemed like the millionth time. Tears fell from his eyes as he slammed his fist on the table. He angrily shoved the letter in his pocket and kicked the wall in frustration.

"Leo?" Hypes asked from behind the door. "What are you doing in there?"

The lion hybrid growled and opened the door. The hyena seemed shocked at first over the appearance of his partner and the shape of his room, but he quickly recovered.

"What happened?" He asked. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you what's wrong..." Leo growled. "Your bastard of a father kicked Noel out of the house. She was last seen at the port. She's gone."

"Jesus." Hypes said, shocked. "I knew Dad could be an ass... But..." Leo growled and punched the wall in frustration.

"Damn it!" Leo swore.

"Calm down!" Hypes shouted. "You aren't going to get her back by throwing a tantrum!"

"Calm down?!" Leo screamed back. "He lost my daughter! I'm going to fucking murder him!"

"And what's that going to do?!" Hypes asked, annoyed. "He'll be dead, but that sure as Hell isn't going to make her magically appear! It'll only make you feel better, and she'll still be out there!'

"Shut up!" Leo drew his dagger and threw it. It impaled the wall right next to Hypes' head, leaving the hyena speechless. "Just leave me alone..."

"But-"

"Leave me be." Leo said, pulling the dagger out of the wall. "I need to rest. Go make sure John doesn't do anything crazy." Hypes left the room without another word, and Leo plopped down onto the bed, exhausted.

* * *

The hyena sat on the deck, trying to comprehend what had happened. He'd been surprised enough when he heard Leo's language, as the lion tended to try to keep a clean tongue, but the moment had been absolutely crushing when he heard of his father's deeds. Hypes was worried that he might've beaten Noel. Maybe he had secretly been abusing her since they'd left...

"Hypes!" A voice boomed. "What's the matter, my boy?" The potbellied man sat next to the hyena and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Family problems." He answered. "Dad threw out Leo's daughter. No idea where she is."

"That's terrible!" The captain exclaimed. "I hope you'll find her one day..."

"I don't know..." Hypes sighed. "Until then, we'll be keeping our shares."

"I understand." John nodded.

"Brigantine spotted off th' starboard bow!" The lookout in the crow's nest shouted. "She flies Britain's colors!" John smirked.

"We can take them!" John boasted. Hypes frowned. The captain always acted like a child whenever it came to decision making. He took great risks for things that they should've left alone.

"Are you sure, captain?" Hypes asked. "Leo isn't in good enough shape to fight. We can't count on him."

"Nonsense Hypes!" John exclaimed. "We can handle without him! Now, get the rest of the boarding crew ready. Let's take this ship!"

* * *

Leo woke to the entire ship trembling. He immediately shot up from his bed and raced out of his room. He could hear screams of rage from above, meaning there was a fight going on. The lion sprinted through the hull, trying to get to the deck. He stumbled as the ship shook again, but he pulled himself up and made it to the deck.

Everything was in chaos. People were being skewered left and right. Leo unsheathed his dagger and entered the fighting. Multiple British troops had found their way onto _The Nemea_ and the crew was doing their best to fend them off, but there was nothing to be done. They were severely outnumbered, and outmatched in their skills.

Leo slashed at any soldier he came across before finally making it to the edge of the ship. He jumped onto the enemy brigantine and started stabbing many of the soldiers in the back of the knees, paralyzing them so that the boarding crew could finish them. The boarding crew was made of the twelve best fighters on the ship, and they were being slaughtered.

"Hypes!" Leo shouted. "Where are you?!" He swung at another soldier, but this one parried his strike and counterattacked. Leo didn't have enough time to react before the sword's hilt smacked him straight in the snout.

"Time for you to be put down, beast." The blonde soldier growled. Leo stared into his cerulean eyes and growled.

"Not today, bub." Leo growled, his snout bleeding. He gripped the soldier's arm and slashed at his face, leaving a deep, diagonal cut in the man's face. Leo didn't stick around to finish the job before resuming his search for Hypes.

He pushed through another group of soldiers before finally settling his eyes on the hyena. He was pushing back the enemy with John, and they seemed to be handling themselves well. Before he knew what was even happening, the lion hybrid heard a gunshot behind him. He turned to see a soldier fall dead at his feet.

"You're welcome." Pierre said, throwing the single-shot pistol aside.

"Thanks." Leo said. "Start getting people back onto the ship. We can't beat these guys." Pierre nodded and ran back into the fight, picking up another pistol from a corpse.

"Hypes!" Leo shouted, slashing through more soldiers. "We need to leave!"

"Nonsense!" John shouted. "We can take them!"

"We can't, John!" Leo stabbed another soldier through the chest, killing him. "We have to retreat!"

"You two pansies can, but I won't!" John shouted. "I'll take them all on myself if I have to!"

"John!" Hypes' eyes widened. "You can't do this alone!"

"Watch me!" John growled. "Go! That's an order!" He pushed the hyena towards Leo and rushed into the thick of battle.

"Come on!" Leo yelled, dragging Hypes.

"But John!" The hyena argued.

"He made his choice!" The lion said. "Now he has to live up to it!"

Leo looked back once he had gotten Hypes back onto their ship. His eyes widened when he saw the blonde soldier from earlier staggering towards the captain.

"John!" He shouted. "Behind you!"

The captain turned, but it was too late. The soldier's sword ripped through John's throat. The captain staggered and fell to his knees, clutching his throat. The blonde soldier drew a gun and fired a bullet straight into John's skull.

"Fire the cannons!" Leo's voice croaked. The crew obeyed him, and soon a volley was launched into the enemy ship. "Set sail! Helmsman, get us out of here!"

Pierre took the wheel and began to sail the ship away from the brigantine. Leo ordered for mortar fire to be constant, as to keep them from counter-attacking. Leo searched for a name to the enemy ship, and quickly identified it as the _Sea Dog_.

"What are we going to do now?" Hypes asked. "Captain's dead."

"But the quartermaster is still alive." Leo stated. "Part of my job description is to take over if something happens to the active captain." Hypes growled.

"Is that why you abandoned him so easily?!" He shouted. "So you could take his place?!" Leo turned around and slapped the hyena.

"Don't you dare think such thoughts!" He growled. "If I could've convinced him to stop, I would've. But I couldn't. You of all people should know just how stubborn he was!"

"Stop!" Pierre growled. "Arguing won't help us in the slightest. By all rights, Leo is the new captain and we have to do as he commands." Hypes fearfully looked at the lion, rubbing the spot where he had been slapped.

"We'll sail for Boston." He decided. "It's a place we can use to rest. The locals know me. Plus, I have some business there." His clawed hand clenched into a fist.

"You aren't going after Dad." Hypes said. "I know what he did was wrong, but-"

"Don't defend that traitor!" Leo growled, his claws digging into his own skin. "I'm starting to wonder whose side you're really on..."

"Nat..." Hypes sniffed, hurt. "Buddy..."

"We're done here." Leo said. "Get us to Boston, and we'll try to figure a plan out there." The crew members each went their separate ways. Leo didn't even bother to look at Hypes as he descended into the hull, gathering his things to be put in his new quarters.

* * *

 _The Vulpine;_

Foxy hadn't expected to hear from Mangle again. However, if what Mike had told him was true, she'd sent a messenger.

The crimson fox burst out onto the deck. It didn't take him long to see the chicken. She was pacing around the deck, wringing her hands together as if she was washing them. Foxy walked up to the chicken, and put a paw on her shoulder.

"Madeline sent ye?" He asked. She nodded. "Why did she send ye here?" Instead of answering, she pulled a piece of paper out of her shirt and shoved it into his hands. He began to read it, but she quickly tapped him on the shoulder, shaking her head.

"Why aren't ye speakin', bird?" Mike sneered.

"I reckon she's mute." Foxy said. She nodded. "Be 'tis from her?" He asked, waving the paper around. The chicken nodded again.

"Read it." Mike said. She shook her head, and pointed towards the door to Foxy's personal quarters.

"Be it private?" Foxy asked. The chicken nodded. "Watch her, Schmidt." Mike growled while Foxy made his way to his personal quarters.

Once inside, the fox unfolded the letter and began to read.

 _Dearest Brother,_

 _I am truly sorry for not explaining the situation better earlier, I just had to get away from those scoundrels under your employ. There is something I must confess, Felix. I didn't leave because I wanted a fresh start._

 _I don't trust any of Seward's old crew, so make sure that you read this alone. I left because I wanted answers. Since my departure, I've been doing research into what happened at Kinsale. The one man, Hillock, got what he deserved. Beaten to death during a slave revolt. The other man goes by the name of Jeremy Fitzgerald, and is stationed as a ship captain somewhere. I don't know what the ship is called or where it was heading, but I'll be continuing the investigation._

 _The commander that lead the other two is a man named Abraham Becker. He's posing as a traveling salesman in Boston, trying to size up the city's defenses. It would be both a major help for us and the Continental Army if you were to... Dispose of him. Just look for the booth selling exotic furs on the docks._

 _Felix, I urge you to be careful around the others. Almost all of them would stab you in the back the first time the opportunity shows itself. Find someone who you can trust and make them close to you. I myself only trust three of my crew mates. The chicken who handed you this letter is Tracy. If you didn't kill her on sight, I would like to see her safely returned._

 _Until we meet again,_

 _Mangle._

Foxy neatly folded up the letter and shoved it into his clothes. He'd sworn revenge on those that killed his parents, and this was his chance to complete that vow.

"Thank ye." Foxy told Tracy as he returned to the main deck. Mike raised an eyebrow.

"What was on th' letter, cap'n?" He asked.

"None 'o ye business, Schmidt." Foxy growled. "Send Madeline me regards, Tracy." The chicken nodded and started to leave.

"Ye're lettin' her be off?!" Mike shouted.

"Yarr, Schmidt." Foxy said calmly. "She was our guest, 'n she's free to leave whenever she desires."

"Whatever." Mike growled. Foxy glared at the man.

"Set sail fer Boston!" Foxy commanded. "To th' city 'o tainted waters!"


	7. Bound by Blood

**Chapter Seven: "Bound by Blood"**

 _The Nemea – August 2nd, 1780;_

Leo stared out at the still waters of the Atlantic. They were less than a day away from their goal, but alas, it was already too late... The trail had to have gone cold over a month ago...

Here he was, about to have a violent family reunion while his baby girl was in danger.

It made the new captain feel sick to his stomach. It had been hard enough being quartermaster, seeking out support from the more sea-hardened veterans like an old man would seek support from a cane, but being captain brought on a whole new slew of difficulties. While John's reckless nature had quickly made him unpopular among the crew, it was Leo's meticulous nature that was causing his downfall.

Whenever encountering an opposing vessel, the lion had to have a plan. He would appraise the weaponry the crew carried, the speed of the enemy ship in case a quick escape was needed, and the overall population of the crew. Very rarely had the lion actually attacked a ship, as he deemed the challenge too great or risky, which vastly minimized the amount of cargo the _Nemea_ ever carried at one time.

To make up for his unprofitable leadership, Leo gave most of the spoils to the crew. There was one exception, however, when he had to keep something. A small oval of nacre. Its iridescent sheen fixated him, allured him into taking it. One day, he would see her again. And when that day comes, he will give her the nacre.

"Daydreaming again, captain?" Pierre asked, bringing Leo away from his thoughts.

"What it is, helmsman?" The lion asked the pale man. "Has something been spotted?"

"Yes, captain." Pierre replied calmly. "The vessel isn't too far off. We should be able to intercept it."

"Another brig?" Leo asked. "What's the weaponry like? Can you give me an estimate on the strength of the crew?"

"Captain, morale is low." Pierre bluntly said, ignoring Leo's questions. "No matter the state of this ship, it must be taken. You wouldn't want a mutiny now, would you?"

"No, helmsman, I wouldn't." The lion agreed. "However, I don't want to put everyone in peril for an unobtainable treasure."

"Captain, you need to start pulling your own weight around here." Pierre chided. "Which is why you will face them alone."

"Me?! Against the entire ship?!" Leo asked, outraged.

"No, just their captain." Pierre explained. "A duel for the ship. Winner takes all, loser perishes."

"You would put faith in me to carry out such a task?" Leo asked, astonished. "Who knows what would happen to all of you if I failed?!"

"Captain, I am merely telling you how to keep your rank." Pierre stated. "If you don't take this ship, the crew will start to get anxious. They thirst for blood and coin. If you refuse them these things, then everything will fall apart."

"Hoist the flag..." Leo said after a pause. "I will challenge him, but don't act surprised if this all ends in tragedy."

"I shall tell the crew at once." Pierre said, giving a bow. Then, he promptly walked away.

* * *

 _The Vulpine;_

"Do we trust them, cap'n?" Mike asked. Foxy frowned.

"We'll spy wit' ye eye what they want..." The captain said. "But be prepared fer a battle."

"As ye shout, cap'n..." Mike said, relaying the orders to the crew. Foxy walked to the railing of the ship, staring down the opposing vessel.

"I have a bad feelin' 'bout 'tis..."

* * *

Leo met the faces of the enemy crew. He took in every murderous glare, sending one back in return to each of them. The captain, a fox with crimson fur, stood in front of him. Brown eyes met amber, and the fox grinned.

"So 'tis a sword fight ye want?" He asked. "Ye might as well hand in ye goods right now."

"Let's save that until after I have your head, shall we?" Leo growled. The fox narrowed his eyes, and drew his sword. Leo drew his dagger, which seemed minuscule compared to the opposing captain's cutlass. This caused many to snicker, believing that the lion had no chance. Leo was determined to change their view.

Sparks flew from the first clash. It was the fox that had swung first, and Leo had deftly blocked the strike with the end of his dagger, just near the hilt. Swiftly, the fox swung again, this time creating a gash just above Leo's right eye. The lion recoiled, slightly blinded.

The fox jabbed at Leo, but the lion side-stepped and thrust the hilt of his dagger into the fox's face. The fox stepped back, blinking the stars out of his eyes. Then, the fox sent Leo a glare that made the new captain know... He was done playing games.

The enemy captain feigned a strike to Leo's midsection. Leo took the bait, and went to block the strike while the fox lowered himself and instead struck at the lion's legs. Leo fell, a searing pain in his left leg. He didn't dare himself to look at whatever destruction the cutlass had caused.

The fox stood above him, sword hovering just by Leo's neck. It was over. The fox raised his sword to strike... When he found that he no longer had his paw.

It took Leo a second to register what was happening. There was Hypes, standing above the fox with his own bloody sword. The fox was staring in disbelief at the bleeding stump that used to be his paw. It was evident that the fox was losing consciousness, most likely from all the blood loss.

Hypes was finishing the fight. But Leo couldn't allow that. This act of defiance would ruin him if left unpunished. Ignoring the aching pain in his leg, the lion stood, and charged at his friend...

* * *

Foxy awoke in one of the lower decks of the _Vulpine_. His vision seemed labored, as if only one eye was open. Curious, he lifted his paw to see what was wrong... But in his paw's place was not his paw, but a hook made of a crude iron. His eyes widened in surprise, though one still seemed to be covered.

"What?!" He whispered to himself. He jumped slightly when someone answered him.

"Don't over-think it. You lost your paw. We found you a replacement." The lion said. The lion didn't look at Foxy, but was instead examining an oval of what looked like mother of pearl.

"What happened to me eye?!" Foxy asked, going to take off whatever was constricting his vision.

"Don't take that off." The lion commanded. He turned to face Foxy, revealing that at his left ankle, his foot had been replaced by a wooden peg. "Nothing happened to your eye, but it's dark out. This little trick I found out, if you keep one eye covered, it's already adjusted to the darkness. So when you go out, switch the patch to the other eye, and you'll be able to see."

"Why be ye still here?" Foxy asked. The lion sighed.

"The duel was declared a tie. Though in all fairness, you won." The lion admitted. "I always pay my debts. Me and my ship are yours."

"But what happened? I ain't remember how 'tis happened." Foxy said, gesturing to his hook.

"Interference from my crew." The lion explained. "An old friend of mine... He won't be sailing with us. I sent him away with only a small rowboat."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Foxy spoke up.

"If ye be to set the sails fer me, ye be knowin' me moniker." Foxy said. "'Tis Foxy. 'N yours?"

"Nat, but you can call me Leo." Leo revealed.

"Well, Leo, be prepared to be pushed to th' limit." Foxy warned. "I gunna not tolerate weakness."

"Understood." Leo said, standing and pocketing the mother of pearl. With that, the lion walked with a slight limp towards the deck, prepared to explain the situation to the bloodthirsty crew.

* * *

 _Boston – August 3rd, 1780;_

Leo had departed early to ensure he could finish his business before he was needed by his new captain. He now stood just outside his old home. He knocked on the door, dagger hidden just inside his coat.

It was Michelle that opened the door. She had a black eye, probably from Bruce, and seemed shocked. She obviously hadn't expected Leo to ever return. She welcomed him inside warmly, only making the task at hand harder for the lion.

Bruce was sitting on the couch, drinking from a bottle of whiskey. He turned when he heard Leo enter, but he never got the chance to see his adopted son. His head rolled on the floor, a blank expression on it. Michelle screamed.

It pained the lion to silence her. She had been the nice one. The blade pierced her heart, and she fell limp in Leo's arms. He gently lowered her to the floor, and wiped away a trickle of blood that was running down her chin. He stared down at her for a minute, and then did a gesture that Hypes had taught him.

"Requiesce in pace." He said. Hypes told him that in their culture, it was a blessing to the dead. With that, the lion left. He glanced back once, for Michelle, but never looked again.

* * *

"I gunna take a pair wit' me to murder a scurvy dog named Becker." Foxy told the crew. "Any volunteers?"

"I'll go." Leo said, eager to prove his worth to the captain. Nobody questioned the blood on his clothing.

"Anyone else?" Foxy asked. Nobody spoke up. "Fine. Schmidt, ye're comin' wit' me." Mike sighed.

"Whatever ye shout, Cap'n..." He said, standing to leave.

* * *

"Exotic furs here!" Foxy heard Becker call. He nodded at Leo and Mike, and motioned for them to circle around the booth.

"What kinds 'o pelts do ye have?" Foxy asked, approaching Becker. The soldier's smile faded for a second. He barely recognized the face, but he knew... Kinsale.

"All sorts." He answered. "What kind are you looking for?"

"Well, I was hopin' to find th' hide 'o a certain human." Foxy growled. "Think ye can help me?"

Becker instantly made a run for it. Unfortunately for him, he ran straight into Leo, he threw him to the ground. Leo and Mike drew their weapons, and pointed them at Becker. The false salesman looked at the approaching fox, who also was drawing his sword.

"No! Please!" Becker begged. "I'll give you anything! Please don't kill me!"

Foxy now stood above him, staring into the eyes of the man who ordered his parents' deaths. Becker's eyes were filled with terror and regret, unlike how they had shone with a cruel fire back at Kinsale. Foxy pitied this man. He was nothing but a weak fool who stood behind his troops and took all the credit.

"Ye aren't worth th' trouble." Foxy snarled, sheathing his cutlass. Mike was shocked.

"Cap'n?" He asked. But the fox was already walking away. Mike followed, confused.

"Thank y-" Becker began to say, but he was cut off when Leo's dagger pierced his throat.

"I always pay my debts." Leo glared at the dying man. He soon followed his captain, leaving the soldier to bleed out.

* * *

 _Paris, France – December 25th, 1780;_

It'd been quite a while since she'd arrived here. A few weeks, at least. She didn't know exactly what day it was, but it had to be close to Christmas. Decorations were everywhere. She'd always loved the holidays, but now she had nobody to spend it with.

Noel wandered around, hungry. She'd been begging others for food ever since she'd arrived. Some pitied her, others didn't. She was barely making by. She needed to find somebody to take her in. It was the only way she'd be able to survive.

"This way, my dame." She heard somebody say nearby. Maybe they'd be willing to help her...

She approached where she heard the voice. She saw four rabbits, all wearing fine, expensive-looking clothing. Clearly, they were of the second estate. They were nobles.

"Now Ras," The older golden-furred female rabbit said, "Snow is not a dame. She is but a princesse. Maybe one day, she'll be dame, but not this day."

"Let them pretend, Summer." The older male rabbit told her. His fur was also the color of gleaming gold. "You know they have quite the imagination."

"Yes, please can we just play pretend, mother?" The white rabbit, Snow, begged.

"We aren't harming anyone!" The chocolate-brown rabbit, Ras, added in. Summer sighed.

"I suppose if it's alright with Lord Spring." She said.

"And it is." Lord Spring said. "Carry on."

"Thank you!" Snow shouted in glee. She walked further onward, accidentally bumping into Noel.

"Make way for the dame, you peasant!" Ras shouted, scowling.

"Please... Help me..." She begged, coughing. She was weak from her hunger, and Lord Spring instantly noticed this.

"Are you alright, little girl?" He asked. "Where is your family?"

"I don't know..." Noel said. "Daddy went off to work... I never met Mommy..."

"Would you like to stay with us, dear?" Summer asked, concerned for the girl. Noel's eyes widened.

"You wouldn't mind?" She asked cautiously.

"Not one bit." Lord Spring said. "We could always use another serf. As long as you do your work, you can live with us. And, I'll even let you keep some if the things you harvest."

"Harvest?" Noel asked. "You mean I'll be gardening?"

"When the time comes." Lord Spring explained. "Have you ever planted anything before?" Noel nodded.

"In Michelle's gardens..." She explained. "I used to plant a lot of things with her... I'll do it."

"Excellent." Lord Spring nodded. "Follow me. I will show you to your new home."

And just like that, she had a new family. She followed them, unaware of the dangers soon to follow.


	8. Samhain

**Chapter Eight: "Samhain"**

 _The Vulpine – October 31_ _st_ _, 1788;_

 _Dear Felix Fox,_

 _It is my displeasure to inform you that your sister and my director, Madeline, has been taken. We believe we have found where her assailants have relocated her, but our forces are severely overwhelmed. We would like to request your assistance, so that we can safely procure her. Please make haste, as she was not the only one taken. My dearest friend, Tony Rogers, was also absconded with. For their safety, I pray for your swift arrival to Nassau._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Todd Fredrick._

The coast of Nassau was tantalizingly close. The crew set the sails, singing songs of loss. Sympathy ran high for Foxy these days. Nobody dared to cross him, for they feared he had no limits. A man with no love has nothing to hold him back. And if that man already happened to be a bloodthirsty killer, who could tell what he would do? His shipmates thought it best if they didn't find out.

Only Leo was permitted to see the grieving fox. He made sure the captain was eating, and that he was getting enough rest. While Foxy was tempted at times to attack, the lion's friendship was something he needed. He knew he couldn't do this alone, though you'd never hear him say this out loud. And at this point, Leo was the only one to show true loyalty. So the fox contained his rage, instead bottling it up to unleash upon the foolish scoundrels who thought they could get away with this.

"We'll be docked by tonight, Captain." Leo said, dropping off some bread.

"We be sailin' in troubled waters." Foxy muttered. Leo stared at the fox for a moment.

"Why so?" He asked.

"T'night be Samhain." Foxy said, as if it were obvious. "Th' fallen gunna swim among us, 'n I bet Madeline gunna be wit' them."

"She's not gone yet, Captain." Leo said. "We'll find her tonight. And I swear she'll still be one of us."

Before the fox could say another word, the lion left. Foxy waited through the thick silence, awaiting the moment when they reached the shore with bated breath.

* * *

"Ye be a tad ruder than ye letter lead me to believe." Foxy growled at the bear in front of him.

"Ah, stuff it." Todd growled. "I would've written like I normally do if Tracy didn't think it wasn't appropriate."

"Th' mute bird?" Foxy asked.

"Yeah, whatever." Todd turned to face the assembled crews of the _Phoenix_ , _Vulpine_ , and _Nemea_. "Okay, I'm not one to make long speeches. All you need to know is two jackasses in there took two of our own. We gonna tolerate that shit? No! We're gonna go in there, and make them pay!"

"A pair?" Foxy asked in disbelief. "A pair?! Ye dragged us all th' way out here because ye couldn't handle a pair 'o enemies?!"

"Hey shut it, stubs!" Todd yelled. "You didn't see what they did! Madeline and Tony were gone before we even knew what happened! There's something weird about them!"

"Ye idiot!" Foxy shouted, pushing Todd. "By now, ye could've saved them yourself! If anythin' happens to them, 'tis on ye head!"

In a rage, Foxy ran ahead of everyone else. The storehouse Todd had described wasn't too far away. Pushing open the doors, the fox was plunged into darkness. He used the trick Leo taught him, and flipped his eye-patch over to his other eye. Almost instantly, the dark room revealed itself to him.

However, he didn't have long to see his new surroundings before he heard a deep chuckle, and felt a searing pain on the back of his head.

* * *

"Felix! Felix, wake up!"

He could barely hear her voice. The world was a blur, swirling around. The dim candlelight almost made it feel like it was sunset back at home. Foxy blinked as the world slowly reformed around him. He realized he was strapped to a table, bound at the wrists and ankles. Madeline was to his left, tied in a similar fashion. She wore a pure white dress, which was odd. She'd never had one in her wardrobe.

"She will rise again." Foxy looked towards the feminine voice. A chicken lay kneeling at what looked like a shrine. On the shrine was a skeleton with bleeding eye sockets. Another skeleton lay at the base of the shrine. It seemed oddly familiar to Foxy.

"Through the blood of lost kin," Another voice, male this time, said, "she will walk among us. And with her, our Lord shall rise."

A rabbit with a horribly disfigured face walked into view, holding a knife and a chalice. He said nothing as he brought the knife to Madeline's wrist, and slit it. Madeline clenched her other paw into a fist, and braved through the torture. The rabbit filled the chalice, and brought it over to the chicken.

"Sister Jill, let our Lord drink again." He said, handing her the chalice.

"Yes, Brother Jack." Jill agreed. She brought the chalice of blood to the skeleton's mouth, and poured the vile contents into it.

"Felix, they have her!" Madeline whispered rather loudly, due to the pain she was trying to ignore.

"Who?" Felix asked, keeping his voice down.

"They weren't supposed to find her!" Madeline whisper-shouted, seemingly upset with herself. "I should've just left them where they were!"

"When the wayward son once again finds home, he shall find it altered. Battered. Defiled." This time, Jack brought the knife to Foxy's wrist, and cut. Thankfully, nothing important was severed, but the pain was terrible. Of course, he'd already had his other paw completely severed, but he was unconscious throughout that agony. The chalice was filled to the brim, and brought to Jill.

"Lord Narayan, hear us." She called, holding the chalice above her. "Return to us, and we shall reward you. A new servant for your ranks, and plenty of blood to spill. Everyone will know your name, Lord. Just wake from your slumber."

This time, the blood was poured onto the other skeleton. One whose skull was separated from its spine. Jill saved some of the blood from falling out of the chalice, and waited to see the results of the ritual. It was then that Foxy realized who the skeleton was.

"No, it can't be." He said in disbelief.

"It's her, Felix." Madeline grunted. "I'm such a fool."

Foxy stared at the skeleton. It was Samhain. If there was any a night to raise the dead, tonight was that night. The blood travelled slow, dripping as it normally would. There was nothing magical about the way this ritual was going, which confused Foxy. Would this even work, or are these two crazier than he thought?

"They tried to do it with Dad first." Madeline said. "They complained my blood wasn't pure enough to bring him back. Bloody morons."

After a few more minutes of nothing happening, Jill sighed, and let the chalice fall from her wings.

"The Lord does not bless us today." She said.

"He does not want the sacrifice we have offered." Jack reasoned to her. "We'll simply need to find something better. Meanwhile, these two are useless to us. How shall we send them back to The Crown? Dead or alive?"

"Did I forget to mention we have bounties on us?" Madeline asked her brother. "Because while we've been looking for Fitzgerald, he's been looking for us. I'll tell you more if we survive this."

"Me crew be outside." Foxy whispered. "They'll be here any minute."

"They're probably busy with their imp." Foxy stared at her.

"Imp?" He asked, not believing her words.

"Only way I can describe him." Madeline said. "He's the one who dragged you in here. He's short, but stout. He's got a bit of a limp, he's got a hunchback, and he carries a stick."

"A sword?"

"It's more threatening than it sounds." Madeline said. "After all, it knocked you out for a few good minutes. You really need to work on your snoring habit."

"I do not snore!" Foxy growled. "'N even if I did, now be not the hour!"

"Actually, you do snore." Jack said, walking up to him. "That's why we've decided to send you to The Crown dead. I'm sure they'll appreciate the lack of noise."

"So we're just here so ye can make some doubloons?" Foxy asked. He might as well stall for time. If he could just keep these two busy until backup arrived, maybe he and Madeline could actually make it out alive. "'N here I thought ye were deadly serious 'bout 'tis whole cult business."

"Shut your mouth, fox!" Jill warned. "You don't even know of Lord Narayan! You know nothing of what he did for us!"

"Oh yo-ho-ho?" Foxy asked sarcastically. "What did he do then?"

"You dare mock powers you cannot understand!" Jill shrieked. "Lord Narayan is why we are here! When animals first came to power, it was Lord Narayan who defended us from the humans! He drove away his own people to ensure our survival!"

"Well jolly fer him." Foxy said, rolling his eyes.

"You fool! You would not be here today if it wasn't for Lord Narayan's blessing upon our kind!" By this point, Foxy was convinced they were both mentally insane.

"Enough, Sister Jill." Jack said. "They will not understand. I'll let you do the honors of silencing this non-believer."

"As you wish, Brother Jack." Jill said. Jack handed her the knife, and she stood above Foxy. Her eyes flared with a loathing Foxy had become well accustomed to. She held the knife in both of her wings, and lifted the blade to strike. But before she could, the knife fell from her wings as she brought them up to her chest, where a dagger had just made its welcome entrance. As she fell, Leo removed the dagger from her dying body, and turned to Jack.

"You dare strike down one of Lord Narayan's chosen?!" He shouted in disbelief, backing up a few steps. "This is blasphemy! The Lord will have your head!"

"I'd like to see him try and take it." Leo said. "Don't bother running. Pierre's right outside. And if you think your little creature can stop us, think again." As he said this, the lion brought something out of a rucksack he had brought with him. It took Foxy a moment to realize it was a weird, disfigured head. It looked almost as if it could belong to a child, though with what Madeline had said, this was no child.

"Brother Narius!" Jack's eyes widened, and he tripped over his own long robe as he tried to back away further.

"If what you said about this Narayan is true, then I don't think he'd agree with this." Leo said. "Capturing and torturing animals with intentions of selling them to humans. That's the opposite of what he stands for."

"No, this is different!" Jack said. He began to say more, but Leo cut him off.

"You have committed treason against your own church." Leo said. "You go against what it stands for. The only punishment for treason is death." Once again, Leo cut the rabbit off. However, this time there was much more blood. Particularly around Jack's neck.

"Laddie, ye're a lifesaver." Foxy said as the lion cut the rope binding both foxes.

"Todd mentioned someone else was taken with you." Leo said urgently. "A blue rabbit by the name of Tony, I believe."

"I don't know what they did with him." Madeline said. "They only brought him along for other rituals, from what I overheard."

"I'll see if I can find him." Leo said. "Be safe." With that, the lion walked down a hallway Foxy hadn't noticed until then.

"He handled that well." Madeline noted. "I don't remember him. Is he new?"

"I have tons 'o new sailors." Foxy said, trying not to boast. "'Bout eight years ago, I took over a ship. Th' lion was their cap'n. He works fer me now."

"Do you trust him?" Madeline asked.

"Yarr." Foxy answered immediately. He didn't even think before giving his answer, though that didn't make it any less honest.

"Why?" Madeline asked, interested.

"First 'o all, he just saved ye." Foxy pointed out. "He also follows every order to th' letter."

"Do you trust him enough to tell him about Fitzgerald?" Madeline asked, making Foxy pause for a moment.

"Yarr." The fox answered once again.

"Get Todd!" Leo's voice shouted from the hallway. "I've found him!"

* * *

"What did they do to him?!" Todd shouted, basically running into the room. Tony was lying on a table, with cuts running up and down his body.

"It seems they wanted his fur." Leo said. He was examining the wounds, noting the placement of every incision. "This is a common method for skinning, though their work is amateur. He probably was in a lot of pain."

"Was?" Todd asked slowly, not wanting to know the answer.

"He died." Leo said. "Most likely he lost too much blood. I'm sorry, I know how hard it is to lose someone you are close to."

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence in the room. Then, Todd's paw clenched into a fist, and he punched the wall.

"Dammit!" Todd swore. "Of all the people who could've taken the job, it just had to be Tony!"

"Job?" Leo turned away from Tony's corpse to look at Todd. "What job?"

"Tony volunteered to escort me." Madeline answered for him. "We expected an attack. The plan was for most of the crew to distract our attackers while Tony and I slipped away."

"And you see how fucking well that turned out." Todd growled. "I promised I'd bring Tony home. We came here together. We planned to leave together."

Leo nodded, unable to stop the thought of Hypes falling into the sea from entering his mind. He thought of how he cut the ropes holding one of the rowboats, and how the boat had landed right on top of where the hyena went under.

"Todd, have a few of the men arrange transport for Tony's body." Madeline ordered. "He fought bravely. I'd also like for you to transport my parents. However, make this request more discreet."

"Yes, Mangle." Todd muttered before walking away.

"Now, Felix, I would like to become more acquainted with your new crew member." Madeline said, staring at Leo. "I suggest we all meet to decide our next course of action."

"Be ready to explain yourself, Madeline." Foxy warned. "I be needin' to be knowin' why our parents be here in th' first place."

"We have much more to discuss than that, Felix." Madeline stated before walking away to see to the ransacking of the warehouse.

"Mangle?" Leo asked. "Why did Todd call her that?"

"Ye don't want to be knowin'." Foxy said, staring down at the floor. "Just be knowin' that if me sister wants to meet ye, ye're probably in Davy Jones' treasure chest." Leo gulped.

"Lovely." He said, suddenly dreading the meeting.

* * *

Leo glanced around the room. Foxy stood by his side, staring at Madeline. The chicken, Tracy, stood by the door. Madeline slowly walked to the table in the center of the room, and put her paws on the edge.

"You want to know why I have our parents, Felix?" She asked. "It's simple. They're our parents. I never intended to just let their corpses sit in that house forever. I plan to bury them properly here at Nassau."

"I be surprised ye had th' guts to be off back thar." Foxy growled.

"It does not matter if you think I can face our past or not, Felix." Madeline said, her expression cold. "What matters is that I've found Fitzgerald." Instantly, Foxy was at the opposite side of the table from Madeline.

"Whar?!" He asked, rage dancing in his eyes. Leo didn't understand who this Fitzgerald was, but it was clear that he and Foxy didn't necessarily get along.

"About a month ago, King George III appointed Fitzgerald as captain of _The Sea Dog_." Madeline said. Something arose from the corner of Leo's mind. He knew that ship, but from where?

"What does this Fitzgerald look like?" He asked, trying to remember what he knew of the ship.

"He's an Englishman with blonde hair and blue eyes." Madeline described. "Why?"

"I know him." Leo said. "Before I joined Foxy's crew, I was captain of _The Nemea_. Before that, I was just a quartermaster. Captain decided to take on _The Sea Dog._ A man with blonde hair and blue eyes shot him. To add to your description, Fitzgerald has a large scar across the bridge of his nose. I know because I gave him it."

"So you've fought him?" Madeline asked. "Tell me. Do you think we stand a chance against him?"

"No." The lion answered immediately. "We were being slaughtered. They had better weapons and were far superior in their swordplay. We barely made it out of there alive."

"So what do you think we'd need to be able to stand a chance?" Madeline asked.

"First of all, better weapons." Leo stated. "More crew. We'll also need to use all of our ships. _The Vulpine_ , _The Phoenix_ , and _The Nemea._ "

"Well, I know some people we could go to for help." Madeline said. "A barkeeper in Havana. Fazbear is in debt to me for some services. He and his employees would be more than willing to help."

"Is he good at fighting?" Leo asked.

"He and his brother act as their own security team." Madeline replied. "They also frequent underground fighting rings. That's where I first met them."

"Alright then." Leo said slowly. "But what of weapons?"

"Well, according to what we've found, _The Sea Dog_ is scheduled to pick up a delivery of swords from none other than Fritz Smith." Madeline explained. "I say we should get to Smith first, and commandeer the weapons."

"That be th' first thin' we do." Foxy said after his considerable silence.

"I agree." Leo added. "This not only strengthens us, but weakens them."

By the door, Tracy nodded.

"Very well." Madeline gave in. "First, we take over Fritz Smith's business. Then, we find the Fazbear brothers, and attack. All in favor of the plan?"

Leo and Foxy raised their paws, while Tracy raised her wing.

"Then it is settled." Madeline said. "Tomorrow we set sail. All of us. And Felix, do come down to Paradise Beach tonight. I think Mum and Dad would have liked for you to show up for their funeral."

* * *

"The service is about to start." Leo said. Foxy paced around his room.

"I be no scurvy dog to Davy Jones' treasure chest, but I don't be knowin' if I can do 'tis." Foxy admitted, coming to a stop. "They be me parents."

"I know it's hard." Leo said, putting a paw on Foxy's shoulder. "My mother was a casualty of war. My father and sister died of a disease you Europeans call smallpox. My daughter ran away and I haven't seen her since she was six. Today, she would be fourteen. I know how hard it is to lose family. But it is better to face it than to deny it."

"Girly offsprin'?" Foxy asked. "Ye never told me 'bout any children."

"I never thought you'd be interested in knowing." Leo explained. "I'm still looking for her. If you've ever seen me staring at a piece of stone, it's a gift for her."

"What's her moniker?" Foxy inquired.

"Noel." Leo answered. "Her fur is an ashen gray and her eyes are a sparkling gold."

Foxy would have asked more, but he was interrupted by a rapping upon his door. He turned to see Tracy motioning for him to come to the service.

"We'll speak more later." He promised the lion, standing up. Leo nodded, and Foxy followed Tracy off of the ship, and towards Paradise Beach.

* * *

 _Paris, France – July 14_ _th_ _, 1989;_

Ras walked down the streets of Paris. Snow was by his side, glancing nervously at the peasants who stared them down with an intense hatred. In his paw, Ras carried a small bag of coin. Every year, Lord Spring would send his children to donate a small bit of his wealth to the unfortunate. This year, Ras was going to give the money to Marie Ambroise, a fair young lady with hazel eyes and blonde hair. Marie was a close friend of Ras, which made many others upset. How had Lord Spring not anticipated his son would waste who the wealth went to?

Ras pounded on Marie's door. Within a minute, the door swung open, revealing the beautiful face of the young maiden. Her delicate features widened into a smile, and she gave a bow.

"Hello, Ras." She said. For a second, her voice charmed him so that he forgot why he was there, though he quickly recovered and handed her the bag.

"Spend it well, Marie." He said. "Now I must return home. Be safe."

"Thank you, Ras." Marie said graciously. "And it was nice to see you, Snow."

The white rabbit nodded, looking over her shoulder.

"We will now be off." Ras said, turning to go. However, Marie grasped onto his arm.

"Have you heard the news, Ras?" She asked urgently. "Some of the other peasants have started to revolt. The Bastille was stormed today. They paraded decapitated heads around to celebrate their victory. Please, be careful. I don't want harm to fall upon you or your sister."

"We will be careful." Ras said weakly. He didn't particularly enjoy bloodshed. Marie nodded, gave a final bow, and closed her door.

"Get me away from here." Snow ordered. "I don't like this place."

"As you wish, my dame." Ras agreed. He led Snow a few streets away, careful to keep an eye out for any troublemakers.

A familiar voice cried out in a scream.

"Ras!" Snow called, but he was already running back towards the Ambroise house.

He found the door knocked off its hinges. He rushed inside, only to stop dead in his tracks. Marie lay on the floor, bleeding terribly, but still alive. Around the room, drawers were pulled from their places, cutlery littered the floor, and furniture lay in shards.

Ras kneeled by Marie, and gently lifted her head. Her eyes were barely open, but she stared at Ras, whose heart ached from the sight of Marie's injuries.

"Ras?" Snow leaned into the room, and put a paw to her mouth in shock. She ran over, and knelt down next to her brother. "Ras, she won't make it."

"No! She will!" He shouted. "Come on, Marie. Stay with me."

"Ras, she's in pain." Snow said. Ras growled.

"I know she is!" He snapped. "Don't worry. It'll be alright."

"Ras, the best you could do for her now would be to end her pain." Snow said sadly. The chocolate-brown rabbit's eyes widened.

"No!" He shouted. "I won't!"

"Ras, it's all we can do." Snow said. Her eyes were brimmed with tears. "As your dame, I command you to kill her."

Ras shook horribly, unable to keep from crying. Slowly, he drew his sword from his waist.

"I'm sorry, Marie." He said before slitting her throat. Gently, he lowered her down to the floor. His tears found their way onto her corpse, getting mixed into the pools of blood.

"We have to go." Snow advised. "Whoever did this is probably still near."

Ras shakily nodded, and stood. Together, they left the house once again, unaware that would be their last trip together.

* * *

Not even an hour had passed since Marie's death. Ras sat on a chair on the balcony of Lord Spring's estate. From there, he could see anyone approaching for miles in the distance. Now, he saw a large crowd gathering. Orange lights gave him the assumption that they were not friendly. The rabbit stood, and began to make his way downstairs.

"Snow, come with me." He said, peering into her room. Snow looked up, confused.

"Why?" She asked.

"I don't have time to explain." Ras said. "Don't bother changing. Just follow me."

Snow was confused as Ras took hold of her paw, and began leading her to the main floor of the estate. Once they had stepped off of the staircase, Ras led Snow to the estate's treasury. Normally, the children wouldn't have been allowed inside, but Ras had not yet returned the key to his father.

Swiftly, Ras stuffed a considerable amount of coin into a leather pouch, and presented it to Snow.

"Ras, what's going on?" She asked nervously. "What are you doing?"

"There's a mob heading this way." Ras explained urgently. "You need to get out of here."

It took Snow a second to comprehend what Ras was saying.

"And you?" She asked. Ras was silent as he once again took Snow's paw, and led her outside.

* * *

Noel had just finished her day of work and returned to the hut Lord Spring had provided her when the twins rushed in. Ras seemed extremely anxious, while Snow looked about ready to burst into tears.

"Serf, you have served us for many years." Ras said. "But tonight, your service ends. While you no longer are bound to us, I have a favor to ask."

"What?" Noel asked, confused. "What do you mean my service is over?"

"Tonight, peasants have come to take our lives." Ras said, glancing at the door. "You will have no family to serve whether you stay or leave. But I cannot let our family end here. The peasants come for us. They will not recognize Snow if she dresses with your clothing. So I beg you, lend her your clothes and leave Paris as soon as possible."

"And what of you?" Noel asked, greatly concerned.

"I will buy you time." Ras said, his voice melancholy. "Snow has some coin to get you out of here. I would recommend a carriage. If you make it far enough, a boat. I have a feeling that after tonight, nowhere in France will be safe. Least of all here in Paris."

"I understand, but why not come along with us?" Noel asked. After years of living with the family, it was breaking her heart to know she would never see most of them again.

"They thirst for blood." Ras said. "I will give them blood."

Ras turned to his twin, who engulfed him in a hug. He held onto her tightly, patting her back. He gave her a quiet farewell, and turned to leave. The two girls watched him depart, before the cat silently handed the rabbit some rags to wear.

* * *

Ras watched the approaching mob, standing behind his two parents. Lord Spring and Lady Summer watched the ominous crowd as well. There were no words, no farewells, no complaints. Just silence. They all knew what was happening. They all knew it was a fight they could not win. They had sent all of their servants to their homes, many wishing them good luck. Ras had watched Noel and Snow leave, though he did not need to reassure his parents that his twin was safe.

The fact she was not there with them was reassurance enough.

The noble family stood proud. They did not falter when the crowd crossed their threshold. They did not waver when the peasants set their fields ablaze. No, they stood proud. For they would be an example. They would be an example that these people were barbarians. That they would harm those who would try to help them.

They came for Lord Spring first. They forced Lady Summer and Ras onto their knees, and forced them to watch as they threw the merciful Lord Spring into his own blazing crops. Their gaze never drifted.

One of the peasants took Ras' sword. Lady Summer's head toppled onto the ground, the rest of her body soon following suit.

Ras closed his eyes one final time as the executioner swung his blade yet again.

* * *

 _Merchant Vessel – July 28_ _th_ _, 1789;_

Two weeks had passed since the attack on Lord Spring's estate. Many similar attacks had been held on other noble families throughout France. This was the beginning of a revolution.

Noel stared at Snow, who was sleeping restlessly. She'd been having nightmares ever since they had left, and often awoke more tired than when she had gone to sleep. For two weeks, they had travelled through whatever means necessary. Sometimes, like now, they were stowaways. It had taken many carriage rides, but they'd made it to a port where they hid away on a small merchant ship. Neither knew the ship's destination, but both were content as long as it was away from the fighting.

They had no coin left. Everything Ras had given them was gone. They'd be able to live off of food stolen from the legal occupants of the ship, but once they reached shore, Noel feared they would become vagrants. She worried they would have no home, and that they would have to wander in search of one. These thoughts left an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Quickly checking to make sure nobody was near their hiding spot, the cat laid down, and uneasily went to sleep.

And the nightmares gave her the same treatment they gave to Snow.


End file.
